Strapless bra



J -1 1967 A. L. WILLIAMS 3,297,035

STRAPLES S BRA Filed Sept. 21. 1964 I INVENTOR ANGELA L. WILLIAMS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,297,036 SPLESS BRA Angela L. Williams, 205 E. 85th St, New York, N.Y. 10024 Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,752 3 Claims. (Cl. l285tl5) This invention relates generally to the class of female undergarments known as brassieres and, in particular to garments of this character which are held to the body without the aid of straps.

The invention has special application to brassieres which are supported on the body by adhesion making unnecessary the use of the usual shoulder or back strap. A brassiere of this type is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,728,- 079. In the patent it may be seen that adhesion of the garment is effected generally in the marginal areas about the lower half portion of the breast leaving the upper half portion exposed unless an auxiliary piece was employed to enlarge the garment to conceal what would otherwise be exposed. If the garment were to be used as an article of bathing Wear rather than as an undergar ment, it was found that the auxiliary piece did not adequately conceal because it had no means for clinging to the body about the upper portion of the breast. According to the invention, there is provided a strapless brassierelike article of wear which snugly adapts itself to the human breast and, in fact, clings thereto entirely about the surface thereof.

The present garment is also capable of being formed into a cup when it is turned into its position for application to the body. This capability is achieved as a result of the fact that the garment is fabricated of the relatively stiff self adhering bra mold, to which is sewn an outer layer of flexible and preferably elastic material generally circular in outline and containing excess material Within its border which can be easily hand molded into cup shape causing the bra mold to assume the same general conformation. In addition special provision is made to contour the article as desired after its application to the body.

The invention will be understood from the following description of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an outer face view of the breast covering garment in flat or carrying position;

FIGURE 2 shows a perspective of the same article folded into wearing position;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the wearer with the article applied;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary detail showing the means for securing in place the upper portion of the garment.

The base mold for the article is bra mold covering which is of generally segmental circular shape, of multiple ply cloth construction and flat. The inner layer 12 is a stilf woven fabric having its back face covered with pressure sensitive adhesive 14 which is covered with a fabric layer 16. Inward of the marginal edge of the covering the layer 16 is weakened along score line 18. Between the line 18 and the marginal edge is thus defined a marginal strip or extension element 20 which as disclosed in my patent aforementioned, is disposed fiat against the body when the article is applied.

Patented Jan. 10, 1967 As shown in FIGURE 1 an outer layer 22 is sewn to the bra covering 10. The layer 22 is fabricated of a flexible and elastic material such as a latex and its bottom portion 24 is sewn to the bra covering 10 along line 25. In this embodiment of the invention the outer layer is composed of a single piece having a generally circular border and a bottom portion 24 and a top portion 26 ex tending over the top edge of the covering 10. The size of the covering is such that the top portion has less area than the bottom portion. When the article is applied to the body, the upper portion 26 of the outer layer is turned over the upper edge 28 of the mold covering 10 and because the bottom portion of the layer contains more than one half its area, the covering underneath is given a reverse bend along its top marginal portion as at 29 which fits partially over the top of the breast being adjustably fitted :thereover by means described below. The upper portion is therefore purposely reduced in area as compared with the lower portion, the reduction being somewhat adjustable by the provision of pleats 33 in the outer layer. Darts (not shown) could be taken therein also to reduce the material in either portion of the covering to afford a snugger fit as desired. The covering 10 is provided with a lateral security extension 32 and has an eyelet 34 in its free end to receive a hook 36 secured to the mid-marginal point of the upper portion 26 of the outer layer, an arrangement which prevents the upper portion from falling off from the wearer being securely anchored to the bra covering 10. See FIGURE 5. There is also provided a contour extension member 38 which overlaps the extension 32 and is detachably secured thereto adhesively. The member 38 is adjustable on the extension 32 depending on the snugness of fit and sharpness of outline desired by the wearer of the garment. The elasticity of the material in the outer layer enhances the snug fit.

Various other embodiments of the invention may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope and principle of invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A female garment comprising a breast covering, said covering having a peripheral adhesive strip for attachment to the body, an outer layer secured to said covering and arranged to enclose the top portion of the breast, said outer layer having a bottom portion covering substantially the entire area of said covering and a top portion covering less area than said bottom portion and extending be yond said covering, said covering having one lateral extension, means for detachably securing said extension to the top portion of said outer layer, said covering having a second extension and means for detachably securing the second extension to said one extension, said first and second extensions projecting upwardly and curvilinearly from the upper side portions, respectively, of said covering.

2. A garment as defined in claim 1 wherein the top portion of said outer layer is stretchable to facilitate its adaption to the body.

3. A female garment comprising a breast covering, said covering having a peripheral adhesive strip for attachment to the body, an outer layer secured to said covering and extending upwardly beyond the confines thereof for enclosing the top portion of the breast, said covering having one lateral extension having an adhesive coating and means for being detachably secured to the top portion of said outer layer, said covering being provided with a second lateral extension having an adhesive coating, said first and second lateral extensions projecting upwardly and curvilinearly from the upper side portions, respectively, of said covering and being adapted together to substantially encircle the top portion of the breast.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,147,375 2/1939 Lazzari 128-505 2,596,567 5/1952 Langs 128505 2,728,079 12/1955 Williams 12S505 2,869,553 1/1959 DOr 128-505 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FEMALE GARMENT COMPRISING A BREAST COVERING, SAID COVERING HAVING A PERIPHERAL ADHESIVE STRIP FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE BODY, AN OUTER LAYER SECURED TO SAID COVERING AND ARRANGED TO ENCLOSE THE TOP PORTION OF THE BREAST, SAID OUTER LAYER HAVING A BOTTOM PORTION COVERING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE AREA OF SAID COVERING AND A TOP PORTION COVERING LESS AREA THAN SAID BOTTOM PORTION AND EXTENDING BEYOND SAID COVERING, SAID COVERING HAVING ONE LATERAL EXTENSION, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY SECURING SAID EXTENSION TO THE TOP PORTION OF SAID OUTER LAYER, SAID COVERING HAVING A SECOND EXTENSION AND MEANS FOR DETACHABLY SECURING THE SECOND EXTENSION TO SAID ONE EXTENSION, SAID FIRST AND SECOND EXTENSIONS PROJECTING UPWARDLY AND CURVILINEARLY FROM THE UPPER SIDE PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, OF SAID COVERING. 